To the editor:

I write to express my interest in serving on the Committee on Appropriations (COA) for 2017 – 2019 and to request that you consider voting for me at the upcoming Financial Town Meeting.  

My engagement with the school department, my observations of the budgeting process over the past few years, combined with my skills as a small business person, federally-funded researcher, educator, clinical psychologist, church leader and parent will all serve the Town of Barrington well in the coming years.

I have lived in Barrington for the past 14 years, though I do not believe that my years in town make my opinions or feelings of any greater or lesser value than those whose families have lived here for generations or than those who have just arrived.  

Should I be elected to the COA, it would be my priority to hear from as many members of our community as possible and to understand how both the school department and town think about and construct their budgets prior to submitting them for review by the COA. 

As an attendee of most school committee meetings as well as COA meetings over the past two years, I have observed, first hand the strengths and weaknesses of our budgeting process. I believe that the process would be greatly enhanced through more intentional bridging of the interests of town, school department, and taxpayers using strategic communication, transparent procedures, and encouragement of engagement of all involved throughout the year (not just between March and May).  

I support many of the elements of Scott Douglas’ proposed code of conduct for COA members referenced in his letter to the editor (5/10/17) — including active listening sessions, public question and answer among constituents of the budgeting process on-line, public comment periods during all meetings and live-stream/video-taping of meetings, in particular.

My strengths lie in constructing and overseeing budgets (as principal investigator on research grants and as president of my church – First Unitarian Church of Providence); understanding complex systems and the competing interests of different groups within a family or community (as a psychologist, church leader, and parent); being an active and validating listener (as business person, psychologist, church leader and parent); and feeling comfortable with written and oral communication (as researcher, educator, psychologist, and parent).  From what I have observed of the process this year, my skill set would prove an asset to the committee on appropriations. I ask for your support at the Financial Town Meeting and I look forward to learning from you and working for you in the coming years.

Cynthia Rosengard, Ph.D. MPH

Barrington